House-car end door



Feb. 11, 1930. J, TQBIN 1,746,917

HOUSE CAR END DOOR Filed April 25, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 11, 1930. K. J. TOBIN HOUSE CAR END DOOR s Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 25, 1927 r ll T III 1. lil +3 4 Ill] [Ill]. m

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Feb. 11, 1 930. K. J. TOBIN HOUSE CAR END DOOR s Shets-Sheet 15 Filed April 25, 192? Patented Feb. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KENNETH J. TOBIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CAMEL COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS HOUSE-OAR END DOOR Application filed April 25,

This invention relates to house car end door construction.

More particularly this invention relates to means for automatically locking and securing the end doors in their closed position.

Carshaving swinging end doors in addition to the usual sliding side doors are commonly provided, said end'doors being designed for receiving relatively bulky lading, such for example as motor busses, fire engine equipment, automobiles and bulky machinery.

A problem which has confronted the designers of end doors has been to provide end doors having the necessary strength in their fastening and locking means to resist the severe stresses that said end doors are sub jected to in ordinary use.

\Vhen cars loaded with dressed lumber or steel shafting are shunted about in switching it is not unusual for this lading to shift and crash through the end doors by breaking their fastening means, particularly at the J center. where both doors meet.

Various types and constructions have been used, attempting to provide a fastening and locking means at the meeting edges of the doors which combine the necessary rigidity i and retain the weathering features for eX- clnding the elements.

It is an object of this invention to provide a construction in end doors which combines said necessary rigidity in its locking and fastening means as well as weathering means for excluding the elements and I prefer to illustrate this invention applied to a construction of house car meeting the requirements of the American Railway Association.

1927. Serial No. 186,313.

desired to swing the doors open for the entry or removal of bulky lading.

A further object is to provide end doors, one of which supports a swinging door jamb, said end door construction combining ease of operation with sturdiness.

A further object is to provide end door construction of the double swinging door type where the doors are so constructed that they will lock automatically when closed and will be rigidly and securely held against accidental opening.

A further object is toprovide end door construction of the swinging door type adapted for ready application to existing cars.

A further object is to provide an end door construction of the double swinging door type, which construction involves a swinging door jamb wherein said door j amb provides a substantially vertical brace supported between the end plate and end sill of the car when said doors are in closed position.

A further object is to provide end door construction where the number of fittings is reduced to a minimum, where construction .will be simple and rigid, economical to fabricate and install, and which provides .eiiicient locking, holding and weathering means.

lVith these and other objects in view, which become more apparent in the following description and disclosure, this invention comprises the novel construction and combinations hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out and defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of this invention, and in which similar reference numerals refer to similar features in the different views Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is an end elevational view of a house car embodying the principles of my invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken on the plane marked by the arrows 2-2 of Figure 1, parts bei g removed for purposes of clarity,

Mid

Figure 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the upper locking means.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the plane marked by the arrows lat of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the plane marked by the arrows 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6is a fragmentary front elevational view of the lower locking means.

Figure 7 is a. fragmentary sectional view taken along the plane marked by the arrows 77 of Figure 6.

Referring to Figure l, the numeral 10 indicates the end sill of a house car, there being associated therewith the. usual buffer and coupler yoke '11. Said end sill 10 may be 'anyapproved construction for the purpose of providing a rigid structure for cooperation with the other features of the end construction which will be referred to presently. The

numeral 12 indicates the end plate of former plate construction swedged outwardly and downwardly as indicated by the numerals 12 and 12 respectively (see Figure 2) for strengthening and weathering purposes. The numerals 1313 indicate the corner posts which connect the end sill 10 and the end plate 12 at the two sides of the car and the .numerals 13 and 13 indicate the corner post fillers and form in combination the rectangular doorway adapted to be closed by the swingingdoors Y 1i1l, which doors are mounted on hinges 15-15 arranged along the corner posts 1313. 'As shown in Figures 1 and 5, the hinges include the plates 16 which are secured toZ-har corner post-s 1313 by rivets 17. Each hinge 15 also includes the plate 18 adapted to be riveted or otherwise secured to the corresponding door 1% as indicated by the fastening means 19.

y The doors lei-1d consist of a frame comprising an upper angle bar 20 (Figure 2) a lower angle bar 21, connected at one extremity by a relatively large front edge Z-bar 22 and at its other extremity by a relatively smaller rear edge Zba-r 28.

A corrugated sheet metal panelis *iveted or otherwise secured to each frame. Each panel may consist of one or more sections, three in the present instance. Each section consists of longitudinally extending and outwardly directed corrugations.

The panel sections 2 of the doors have up- ..set ends'forming substantially rightangle flanges At the front end these flanges lit against the web 22 of the fr nt ed Z-har 22 and at the rear end they fit against the web 23 of the rear edge Z- bar 23 and are riveted or otherwise secured ther to as indi .catedhy the numeral 26. The sides of these panel sections aresecured together in overlapping relation and the upper and lower sections are secured to the upper and lower frame members. I

Referring now to Figures 1, 3 and 5, it will be noted that the frames of the doors consist of a relatively large front edge Z-bar 22, having its web 22 disposed at substantially right angles to the plane of the doors and secured to the flanges 25 of the panel sections 24 while the flanges 22 and 22 of the front edge Z- ,har are oppositely disposed and lie on substantially the same plane. as the door. As best shown .in Figure 5 this construction comprises a front edge Z-har on each door. The flange 22 of the Z-bar on one door is offset to engage in overlapping relationship with the flange 22- of the Z-bar on the other door to form a channel shaped pocket extend ing the full height of the doors wh n said doors are in closed position. The inner flanges of the relatively smaller rear edge 2- bars 23 abut the corner post fillers 13 for purposes of excluding the weather. I

Mounted within the channel shaped pocket and secured to the web 22" and theflange 22 of the front edge Zbar of one of the doors is a pair of housings 2727 located at the top and bottom of said front edge Z-bar and secured by rivets This construction forms a post or jamb that will act as tie between the end plate 12 and the end sill 10 for reasons which will be referred to presently.

Figure 2 illustrates the swinging jamlo in its locked or home position. In this position certain lock' operating mechanism cooperatively associated with the door jamb engages with detent members station'arily mounted on the end plate and end sill of the car.

The detent member 29 stationarily mounted on the end plate 12 and the detent member 30 stationarily mounted on'the end sill 10 cooperate with the housings 2727 secured to the front edgeZ-bar of one of the swinging doors. Each of the detent members 29 and 30 are provided with outwardly extending lugs 3l31 (Figures 3 and 6) substantially T shaped. Each of the housings 27-27 is provided with overhan ing shoulders 3232 on the two sides thereof which cooperate with said T shaped lugs on detents 29 and 30 whereby when said door supporting the post or jamb is in closed position said post or jamb acts as a'tie member strut to prevent spreading between the end. plate and end sill.

.Moreover the interi'itting partsof the housin 0' members 27-2T and the detent members 0 1 1 0 29 and30 provide 1110111 memoers I01 1n- ,s'urins the brooer relationshi between said detent members 29 and 30 and saidhousing members 2727 secured to the extremities of said post or amb when said jamb is being swung to closed position.

I Pivotally mounted in the upper housing 27 is the latch 33 (Figure 4). Said latch may have trunnions 3%, projecting from the two sides thereof, whereby said latch may be rotatably mounted in soclzets'35 on the inner walls of the u 3 er housin member 27. Said Eli latch is also provided with a catch portion 36 adapted to engage behind the downwardly projecting wall 3? of the upper keeper member 38 which is secured to the reinforcing plate Z-bar 39 which in turn is secured to the downwardly depending leg of the end plate 12. Keeper member 88 is also provided with the sloping portion 40 for the purpose of cooperating with sloping portion 41 of the upper latch for biasing same into closed position.

Pivotally mounted in the lower housing 27 (Figures 6 and 7) is the latch member 42. Said latch member 42 is provided with the catch portion 48 extending from the lower side thereof. Said catch portion 43 has its face 44 levelled oif slightly, whereby to simplify the matter of removing the catch portion from the recess in the lower keeper member 46 (Figure 2). Said keeper member 46 may be a rectangular shaped member with a recess in its upper face and secured to the end sill as illustrated in Figure 2 or it may be built into the end sill by using a bulb angle as illustrated in Figure 7 Upper latch member 33 is provided with a downwardly extending extremity 47. The numeral 48 indicates an operating member having forked shaped extremities which for red shaped extremities loosely connect the downwardly extending extremity 4'? of the upper latch 83 as indicated by the numeral 49 and the attaching lug 50 of the lower latch member 42 as indicated by the numeral 51. Pivotally fastened near the inner edge to one of the doors (usually the door supporting the amb) there is a hinged plate as indicated by the numeral 52. Said plate is supported by hinge-s 58 (Figure 1) which in turn are secured to the door supporting the jamb. Said plate lies across the rearwardly disposed flanges of the front edge Z-bar of each door and extends in length from slightly below the upper housing 24 to slightly above the lower housing 2'? and of a width suflicient to cover the channel shaped pocket formed by the front edge Z-bars of both doors as previously mentioned. Secured to a side of the plate 52 intermediate its length is a hasp member 54 which cooperates with the usual lock 55 and sealing pin 56 for eflectively sealing the doors against unauthorized opening. This flap actually peri'orms the function of a double seal for in addition to the above mentioned sealing means, the operating bar 48 is sealed holding the latches in their locked position because of the fact that the operating bar handle 48 projects outwardly and at substantially right angles to the bar and is of sufficientlength to project through an aperture 57 (Figure 1) in the hinged plate when said plate is secured in its closed position.

Auxiliary locks 58-58 are provided for each door to assist in absorbing the stresses which the doors are subjected to and consist of bolt housing members 59 secured to the doors and having slidably mounted therein bolt members 60 which engage socket members 61 secured to the end plate 10 of the car. According to the invention above described it is necessary for a person seeking an entry into the car through the end doors to break the usual sealing ribbon, raise the sealingpin 56 out of engagement with the handle hasp 54 and swing the flap 52 in a counterclockwise direction, exposing the lock operating mechanism. The operator then raises the bolts 60 in the auxiliary locks 58, lifts the handle 48 of the operating bar 48 which in turn simultaneously rotates upper latch 33 about its trunnions 84 to the dotted line position illustrated in Figure 4 and lower latch 42 about its trunnions 42 to the dotted line position illustrated in Figures 2 and 7.

This movement throws the latches out of engagement with their respective keepers and the doors may be pulled forward and swung open. If it is desired to open only the door carrying the jamb, the auxiliary lock 59 on the other door is not unlocked. The closing operation is similarly accomplished and the jamb locks automatically as will now be described.

Assuming the doors are in wide open position, the operator first closes the door which does not carry the jamb and fastens it in place at its lower edge with the sliding bolt 60 mounted in bolt housing 59, secured to the door. Said bolt 60 engages socket memhers 61 stationarily mounted on the end sill 10. The operator then closes the other door carrying the swinging jamb and it may be readily observed from the illustration and description disclosed that the curved portion of catch member 36 of the upper latch member 38 will engage the sloping portion 40 of upper :eeper member 88 and the sloping portion of catch portion 43 of lower latch member 42 will engage the tapering top surface 80 of lower detent member 30. As the doors close this engagement of latch members with the afore said mentioned members causes them to partially revolve about their trunnions, causing the operating bar 48, which connects'both latches to first raise until the door is in home position and then drop by gravity due to its weight, automatically locking both doors by reason of the catch portion of upper latch engaging behind the wall 37 of upper keeper 38 and the catch portion 43 of lower latch 42 engaging in the recess 45 in lower keeper member 46. The plate52 hinged to the last door closed is swung to the position illustrated in Figures 1 and 5 and secured by the aforesaid mentioned hasp, lock and sealing pin, locking the handle portion 48" of the lock operating bar 48, in the aperture 57 of the hinged plate 52, absolutely securing the locks against accidental or unauthorized removal.

Many modifications of the present invention will occur to those skilled in the art and it is intended to cover all such modifications that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A house car having an end door opening, a pair of oppositely swinging doors to close said opening, means secured to one of said doors outwardly thereof, means secured to saidcar above and below said door, said latter means having automatic interlocking engagement with said first mentioned means when said doors are in closed position.

2. A house car having an end door opening, a pair of oppositely swinging doors having edges adapted to interfit with one another to close said opening, one door having secured thereto outwardly of said car, interlocking means for automatically locking both doors to said car at their top and bottom when said doors are in closed position and means secured to one door outwardly of said car for concealing said locking means against accidental or unauthorized opening.

3. In a house car, a pair of hinged doors, said doors comprising Z-bar vertical margins, one Z-bar vertical margin being substantially larger than the other Z-bar vertical margin, one of said larger Z-bar vertical margins having latch housing members secured near the upper and lower extremities thereof said latch housings having pivotally mounted therein latch members and a vertical operating rodloosely connecting said latch members.

4. In a house car, a pair of co-acting hinged doors each comprising a rectangular frame consisting of Z-bar vertical margins and angle bar horizontal margins, the front edge vertical Z-bar margins of each door being larger than the rear edge vertical margin of each door, said front edge Z-bars having :their webs disposed transversely of the plane ofsaid doors and inwardly thereof and having their flanges oppositely disposed, one flange of each front edge Z-bar lying in overlapping relationship with the panel of each door and secured thereto, the other flange of each front edge Z-bar lying in overlapping relationship with one another, the webs being spaced apart forming a channel extending substantially the height of said doors.

5. In a house car, a pair of co-acting hinged doors having a rectangular frame consisting of Z-bar vertical margins and angle bar horizontal margins, the front edge vertical margins being larger than the rear edge vertical margins, the webs of said front edge vertical Z-bar margins and the webs of the rear edge vertical Z-bar margins being disposed transversely of the plane of the'doors, the flanges of the Z-bar-vertical margins being oppositely disposed, the outsideflan-gesof-said Z-bars being secured to the door panels in overlapping relationship, the inside flanges of said rear edge Z-bars cooperating with the inside corner posts for weather proofing purposes and the inside flanges of said, front edge Z- bars having over-lapping relationship with one another for weather proofing purposes and having the webs of said front edge Z- bars spaced apart for the purpose of providing a channel adapted to house door locking and operating mechanism.

6. A house car having an end door opening, two doors having cooperating edge portions for closing said door opening, one of said doors having housings secured thereto outwardly of said door, said housings having means interlocking with corresponding means on the car, and means within said housings for automatic locking engagement with means secured to said car above and below said door.

7. In a house car, a pair of co-acting hinged doors having a rectangular frame consisting of Z-bar vertical margins and angle bar horizontal margins, the front edge vertical margins being larger than the rear edge vertical margins, the webs of said front edge vertical Zbar margins and the webs of said rear edge Z-bar vertical margins being oppositely disposed, the outside flanges of said Z-bars being secured to the door panels in over-lapping relationship, the inside flanges of said rear edge Z bars cooperating with the inside corner posts for weather proofing purposes and the inside flanges of said front edge Z-bars hav ing over-lapping relationship with one another for weather proofing purposes, the webs of said front edge Z-bars being spaced apart for the purpose of providing a vertically disposed, open sided channel adapted to receive door locking and operating mechanism and means secured to one of said doors adapted to lie across and enclose said door locking and operating mechanism, sealing said mechanism against unauthorized manipulation.

8. In a house car, a pair of hinged doors, said doors compri ing Z-bar vertical margins, one Z-bar vertical margin being substantia-lly larger than the other Z-bar vertical margin, one of said larger Z-bar vertical in argins having latch housing members secured near the upper and lower extremities thereof, said latch housings having pivotally mounted therein latch members and a vertical operating rod loosely connecting said latch members and means secured to one of said doors adapted to lie across and enclose said latch housings and said operating rod, sealing said mechanism against unauthorized manipulation.

9. A house car having an end door opening, a pair of doors to close said opening, one door having a jamb secured to the outside thereof, and means on said jamb and means on said car co-acting with said first mentioned means, whereby said jamb and said doors are automatically locked when moved to closed position.

10. A house car having an end door opening, a pair of doors to close said opening, one door having a jamb secured to the outside thereof and means on said jamb and means on said car co-acting with said first mentioned means, whereby said jamb and said doors are automatically locked when moved to closed position, and means for preventing the accidental or unauthorized unlocking of said jamb.

11. A house car having an end door opening, a pair of doors to close said opening, one door having a jamb secured to the outside thereof and means on said jamb and means on said car interlocking with said first mentioned means to act as a tie between said jamb and the top and bottom portions of said car.

12. A house car having an end door opening, a pair of doors to close said opening, said doors having relatively large front edge Z-bars, said Z-bars having one of their flanges disposed inwardly of said car and overlapping one another, said Z-bars having their Webs spaced apart and the other 0ttheir flanges oppositely disposed to form an open sided channel adapted to confine and protect locking mechanism against distortion or abuse.

18. A house car having an end door opening, a pair of doors to close said opening, said doors having relatively large front edge Z-bars, said Z-bars having one of their flanges disposed inwardly of said car and overlapping one another, said Z-bars having their webs spaced apart and the other or their flanges oppositely disposed to form an open sided channel adapted to confine and protect locking mechanism against distortion or abuse, and swingable means secured to one of said doors adapted to lie across said open sided channeland co-act with said locking mechanism to prevent the accidental or unauthorized unlocking of said doors.

14. In house car end construction comprising a pair of hinged doors having overlapping frontal margins, a jambsecured adjacent the edge of one door, said jamb having latch housings at the upper and lower ends thereof, keepers upon the upper and lower parts or" said car for receiving and retaining said first mentioned keepers for simultaneously locking said doors and tying the upper and lower parts of said car together.

KENNETH J. TOBIN. 

